Tianmen Mountain (天门山) is Zhangjiajie’s second national forest park, covering a total area of 96 square kilometers, with a summit area of 2 square kilometers. The main peak stands at an elevation of 1,518.6 meters, making it the highest mountain in Zhangjiajie. Historically known as Songliang Mountain, it is also referred to as Meng Mountain or Fanghu Mountain. The lowest elevation is 161 meters. A must-try experience here is the glass walkway built along the cliff face, where you can feel the thrill of walking in the air while gazing down at the deep valley below.
Tianmen Mountain falls within the Central Asian subtropical monsoon climate, characterized by cool temperatures, high humidity, frequent fog, and an absence of a distinct summer season. The daily temperature here is about 6-8 degrees Celsius lower than in the city, with sunshine lasting 12-14 hours a day. Due to differences in altitude and temperature, the four seasons in Tianmen Mountain have evolved into just two. There is no intense summer heat here, only the gentle warmth of spring. From May to October each year, Tianmen Mountain is enveloped in a thick springtime ambiance. By November, the mountain has already entered its winter season.
Table of Contents
- Basic Information
- Location and Transportation
- Highlights of Tianmen Mountain
- Origin of the Name
- Vlog about Tianmen Mountain
- Other Iconic Attractions in Zhangjiajie
Basic Information
| Estimated Length of Tour | 1 day |
| Ticket Price | Route A (Tianmen Mountain Cableway Up – Tianmen Cave Express Cableway Down): 278 RMB Route B (Tianmen Cave Express Cableway Up – Tianmen Mountain Cableway Down): 278 RMB Route C (Round-trip on Express Cableway): 278 RMB One-Way Cableway Ticket (Line 1 or Line 2): 232 RMB |
| Opening Hours | 7.00 – 19.00 |
| Telephone Number | 0086-0744-8366666 |
Location and Transportation
Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park is located in Yongding District, Zhangjiajie City, just 2 kilometers from the city center. It is the second national forest park in Zhangjiajie. To get there, you can choose one of the following ways:
- Take bus routes 6 or 5 from Zhangjiajie Railway Station and reach the lower station of the Tianmen Mountain Cableway in under 5 minutes.
- From Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport, bus route 4 takes about 8 minutes to reach the cableway station.
- Additionally, buses 4, 5, and 10 from the Zhangjiajie Bus Station also stop at the Tianmen Mountain Cableway lower station.
Highlights of Tianmen Mountain
Tianmen Cave Scenic Area (天门洞开)
The Tianmen Cave Scenic Area is located in the middle and upper part of Tianmen Mountain, at an altitude of 1,300 meters. It is the only one of the four major scenic areas on the mountain that is not situated at the summit. The area gets its name from the Tianmen Cave, the most iconic attraction of Tianmen Mountain. As the world’s highest naturally formed mountain cave, Tianmen Cave hangs on a towering cliff, resembling a gateway to the heavens set against the sky. The main attractions here include:
Heaven-Linking Ladder: The Heaven-Linking Ladder consists of 999 steps and is the path to reach Tianmen Cave. It is also a sacred place for making wishes and praying for blessings.
Tianmen Cave: Tianmen Cave is the world’s highest naturally formed mountain cave. In the sixth year of the Yong’an period during the Eastern Wu Dynasty (263 AD), a section of Songliang Mountain’s thousand-meter-high cliff collapsed, creating the cave. It appears as a gateway to the heavens, making it a rare spectacle. The mountain was subsequently renamed Tianmen Mountain.
Tianmen Mountain Cableway (Rainbow Soaring Dragon): The Tianmen Mountain Cableway, the world’s longest high-altitude passenger cableway, features 98 cabins and 57 towers (including 3 rescue towers), all imported from the French company POMA.
Tongtian Avenue: Tongtian Avenue, named for leading to Tianmen Cave, stretches 10.77 kilometers and winds through 99 curves. Every nine bends, a stone stele marks the spot, symbolizing the nine layers of heaven. It is one of the top ten attractions of Tianmen Mountain.
Sky Forest and Bonsai Wonderland: Geologically, Tianmen Mountain is a complete syncline structural unit, featuring typical middle-mountain karst peak forest and canyon landscapes.
Biye Yaotai Scenic Area (碧野瑶台)
As part of the national forest park, the summit of Tianmen Mountain boasts a complete and pristine forest, with its core conservation area located within the Biye Yaotai Scenic Area. Here, visitors can find moss-covered rocks and discover rare tree species and valuable medicinal herbs. The entire scenic area resembles a large, natural bonsai garden, where visitors can enjoy the whimsical charm of nature while walking along winding paths. Located on the eastern part of the summit, Biye Yaotai Scenic Area is known for its natural landscapes and features over 20 attractions, making it the most attraction-rich route on Tianmen Mountain.
Lingquan (Spiritual Spring): Known locally as the “Divine Spring,” Lingquan is a natural spring that flows from the cracks in the rocks, offering cool and sweet water year-round. The Lingquan Courtyard, named after the spring, was first built during the Tang Dynasty and was once the retreat of the hermit Zhou Pu.
Yunmeng Xianding (Cloud Dream Fairy Peak): Yunmeng Xianding is one of the sixteen peaks of Tianmen Mountain, surrounded by cliffs on three sides and standing tall, reaching up to the sky.
Primitive Sub-Forest: The summit of Tianmen Mountain is home to a well-preserved, primitive sub-forest, thriving with wildlife throughout the year. It is a rare “primitive aerial garden.”
North View of Tianmen: The North View of Tianmen faces the South View of Tianmen, providing a perfect vantage point to clearly overlook Tianmen Cave.
Cherry Bay: Cherry Bay Plaza is the intersection point of the three sub-scenic areas at the summit of Tianmen Mountain, connecting the eastern and western routes as well as the Tianmen Mountain Temple route. It is also one of the two main service areas at the summit.
Nixian Wonderland Scenic Area (觅仙奇境)
The Nixian Wonderland Scenic Area is located on the western part of the summit and is the birthplace of Tianmen Mountain’s “hermit culture” and “immortal mountain culture.”
Qiuer Cave: Qiuer Cave is one of the sixteen legendary caves of Tianmen Mountain. According to folklore, the Goddess of Mercy (Guanyin) is said to have appeared here to grant the wishes of those seeking children.
Viewing Guigu Cave: Guigu Cave, also one of the sixteen legendary caves, is where the ancient strategist Guiguzi is believed to have studied the “I Ching” (Book of Changes).
Lingxiao Platform: Along with Yunmeng Xianding, Lingxiao Platform is one of the two major viewing platforms on Tianmen Mountain and a key attraction on the western route.
Guigu Plank Road: The Guigu Plank Road stretches 1,600 meters with an average altitude of 1,400 meters. It starts at Yihong Pass and ends at Xiao Tianmen. Unlike other plank roads, the entire Guigu Plank Road is not situated on the top or side of the cliff but is suspended in the middle of a towering precipice.
Glass Walkway: The Glass Walkway is suspended along the western route at the summit of Tianmen Mountain. It is 60 meters long, with the highest point reaching an altitude of 1,430 meters.
Tianjie Foguo Scenic Area (天界佛国)
The Tianjie Foguo Scenic Area is located on the southern part of the summit and is the core area of Tianmen Mountain’s “Buddhist culture.” The main attraction here is the Tianmen Mountain Temple.
Vegetarian Dining Hall: Situated next to Tianmen Mountain Temple, the Vegetarian Dining Hall is a dining facility specifically built to support the temple, offering a collection of the finest vegetarian dishes from temple cuisine.
Origin of the Name
Tianmen Mountain, located across from the city of Zhangjiajie, was not always known by this name. In ancient times, it was called Songliang Mountain. Due to its appearance resembling a bronze kettle, it was also referred to as Hutou Mountain (Kettle Head Mountain). Additionally, because the mountain rose sharply from the ground like a screen standing on the southern bank of the Lishui River, it was once called Yuping Mountain (Jade Screen Mountain). The name “Tianmen Mountain” came about after a natural arch, or “Heaven’s Gate,” appeared in the mountain’s cliff face, leading to its renaming.
Back during the Three Kingdoms period, Zhangjiajie had not yet been established as a county. The area had only one fortified town, called Dayong Garrison, which was under the jurisdiction of Cili County in Wuling Prefecture and belonged to the State of Wu. Songliang Mountain was a well-known landmark in Wu. In the sixth year of the Yong’an reign of Wu (263 AD), a section of the towering cliff on Songliang Mountain suddenly collapsed, revealing a natural archway.
The residents of Dayong were astonished when they saw this newly formed “Heaven’s Gate” in Songliang Mountain. This unusual event sparked widespread discussion. Many people in the town considered it a good omen, believing that the opening of the gate in Songliang Mountain signaled the arrival of auspicious energy from the east, and that blessings would soon come to Dayong. Some even prostrated themselves on the ground, praying for the auspicious energy to bless them. However, a Taoist priest in the town, upon seeing the mountain open up, was terrified. He turned pale, fell to the ground, and wept bitterly, proclaiming that the collapse was a sign of the heavens’ wrath, and that the fortune of Dayong had escaped through the newly formed gate, leaving the town doomed to unrest.
When news of this event reached Sun Xiu, the ruler of Wu, he came to see the site for himself. After examining the situation, he laughed heartily and declared, “This is an auspicious sign.” He then ordered that half of Wuling Prefecture be divided, creating Tianmen County with Dayong as its seat. From that time on, Songliang Mountain was renamed Tianmen Mountain.
Taking the A line cable car up Tianmen Mountain is indeed very convenient. When we went, the snow on the mountain hadn’t melted yet, and I actually took a tumble and fell on my backside! However, the scenery at the top is truly beautiful, and the food is quite pricey, so I recommend bringing some snacks to avoid running out of energy. The cable car ride was a bit terrifying at first, but I quickly got used to it. If… Read more »
Tianmen Mountain has snowed again. The trees are covered in rime ice, making it feel like walking into a refrigerator.